The Chaika Courier
Squad31 Dec 2035
A knee injury of the worst kind for Ivan Krasilschikov
63 days on the estimate, and a long, private, unglamorous year of a rehabilitation nobody watches. Chaika lose a footballer; he loses considerably more than a season.
The dugout31 Dec 2035
Daan Maertens keeps the receipts
“I remember the meeting. I remember exactly what was promised in it.” Chaika may remember it differently, which is precisely the problem.
Market31 Dec 2035
Only the photograph left for Mark Kaptinar
Fee agreed, terms agreed, medical booked. Mark Kaptinar will be somebody else’s player by the weekend, and around Chaika the goodbyes have quietly begun.
Squad31 Dec 2035
Tempers go at Chaika
Nikita Satarov was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Squad31 Dec 2035
Words at Chaika training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Georgy Tunguliyadi is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
The dugout31 Dec 2035
The manager makes an example of Alexandre Pereira
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Market31 Dec 2035
Chaika and Roman Kommusar are talking past each other
“There is a gap, and pretending there is not helps nobody.” Neither side has moved, and the calendar is working for exactly one of them.
Squad31 Dec 2035
Anatoly Shevtsov is the weekend's best young player
At 19 he is being measured against the rest of the division's kids and coming out in front. The senior version of this award is where the club would like this to lead.
Market31 Dec 2035
Dmitry Shirkovskiy runs his contract down
5 months remain and no agreement is close. Every week without a signature costs Chaika money.
In brief
- The dugout The manager makes Tomasz Piatek a promise
- Loan watch Textilschik cannot leave Ales Vydra out
- Market The stand keeps filling up for Leander Mertens